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Managing mobile marketing and advertising campaignsMobile 1
Managing mobile marketing and
advertising campaigns
Version: 1.0
Date created: 11/11/2009
Policy official: David Pullinger
Date last updated: 11/11/2009
Date issued: November 2009
Lead official: Franco Beschizza
Guidance number: TG120
This guidance is for heads of e-communications, content
producers and developers/programmers who are
planning, developing or implementing mobile marketing
and advertising campaigns. It provides an overview of
how mobile can be used to support marketing and
branding activities, plus practical guidance and
references to detailed sources. It applies to all public
sector projects involving mobile data, and may also be
relevant to projects outside UK central government. The
guidance will be updated as the medium develops.

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Introduction
Mobile marketing and advertising offer significant potential for interacting with
people and adding value to communications. Increasingly, brands from all
sectors are using text messaging and the mobile web to develop strong one-to-
one relationships with their customers.
While mobile is undoubtedly an exciting new area of communication, it is not
without its challenges and risks. Issues such as personal privacy and legislative
compliance need careful consideration and negotiation. This document is
designed to help you minimise potential risks and get the most out of mobile
communications.
The guidance is split into two parts. Part 1 provides an overview of the market
and of how mobile can be used to support marketing and branding activities, and
is aimed at all readers. Part 2 looks in more detail at the practicalities of design,
language and style, security and privacy and ensuring that communications meet
the relevant standards, and is aimed at those more closely involved in developing
and implementing mobile communications.

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Part 1: Overview
This part of the guidance provides a brief summary of the current mobile market.
It goes on to give an overview of how mobile can be used to support marketing
and branding activities and to summarise the main risks and challenges.
Who uses mobile technology?
Mobile is used by all ages and sections of the community, and penetration rates
are high. By mid-2008, there were 74 million current mobile subscriptions in the
UK. Allowing for users with multiple handsets, 48 million teenagers and adults
have mobile phones – over 90 per cent of those aged over 12 and under 75
(Mobile Data Association, ONS).
Table: Teen and adult mobile subscribers by age and sex
Age Female Male
Subscribers Share Penetration Subscribers Share Penetration
13-17 1,863,960 3.9% 94% 1,844,108 3.9% 93%
18-24 2,789,691 5.9% 99% 2,909,365 6.1% 97%
25-34 3,906,776 8.2% 99% 3,799,643 8.0% 99%
35-44 4,603,522 9.7% 98% 4,380,768 9.2% 98%
45-54 3,904,303 8.2% 95% 3,768,225 7.9% 94%
55+ 7,282,554 15.3% 78% 6,447,085 13.6% 82%
Total 24,350,806 51.3% 91% 23,149,194 48.7% 91%
Source: MMetrics, June 2008
Compared with PCs, the distribution of mobiles is higher among socio-economic
groups C12DE, for example according to Ofcom twice as many people in the DE
group have a mobile as compared to those who have a PC. Mobile penetration in
group C1 is 90% (82% for PC), in C2 86% (72% PC) and in DE 76% (35% PC)
(Ofcom, 2008). However, there is little variation in ownership and use of the
mobile internet by income group, except in the highest brackets. Low income is
not a barrier to high consumption, with some users in the lowest income bracket
spending up to £100 a month on voice calls and text messages (making
campaigns or services utilising SMS highly effective in terms of reach of all parts
of the community).
Table: Mobile subscribers by income group
Income Subscribers Share (%)
<£15k 10,895,647 22.9%
£15k - <£30k 15,787,801 33.2%
£30k - <£45k 10,383,382 21.9%
£45k - <£55k 4,477,511 9.4%
£55k - <£65k 2,358,937 5.0%
£65k - <£75k 1,414,605 3.0%
Source: MMetrics, June 2008
The mobile phone is ubiquitous and therefore inclusive as far as text messaging
is concerned, though this is not yet the case with the mobile internet. The mobile

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internet also poses some problems in terms of accessibility due to the nature of
the small screen and fiddly keypad. While some phones offer support of user-
controlled scalable fonts most do not and it is very difficult to deliver a good
product for the partially sighted.
What is mobile technology used for?
After voice calls, mobiles are most commonly used for text messaging (or ‘SMS’).
Text messaging in the UK has grown by 70 per cent since 2002. In 2007, nearly
59 billion SMS messages were sent: an average of 68 per month from each
unique mobile connection.3 As the chart below shows, more UK consumers now
use SMS than access the internet via PCs.
Chart: Use of SMS and the internet
Other non-voice features, including gaming, taking pictures, listening to music
and watching videos are growing in popularity and driving take-up,
particularly among younger people.

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Chart: Proportion of subscribers using non-voice features on their mobile phone
Percentage
100
80
60
SMS
40
20 CAMERA
0
GAMES
MUSIC
C
A
SI
ER
U
VIDEO
S
EO
ES
AM
M
SM
AM
D
C
VI
WAP BROWSER
G
Medium
Source: MMetrics, June 2008
The mobile internet
While penetration rates for mobile internet are still low, figures suggest that future
growth could be comparable with that of SMS. The number of people in the UK
using the mobile internet rose from 5.8 million in the second quarter of 2008 to
7.3 million in the third, representing some 15.3 per cent of all subscribers
(Neilsen Mobile). By comparison, MMetrics quotes a figure of 16.3 per cent, with
half of these people also accessing a search engine.
Chart: Mobile Internet 2008 Growth
R
SE
W
O
BR
AP
W

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The heaviest users are 15-34-year-olds, who account for 33 per cent of mobile
users but 52 per cent of those who access the mobile internet. Recent studies
have also shown that while 59 per cent of mobile internet users are male, 41 per
cent of women are accessing WAP sites – a significant proportion (GSM
Association).
Browsing habits suggest that the mobile internet is mainly used as a ‘boredom
buster’ or as a source of immediate factual information (for example, traffic, maps
or weather) (MMetrics). Although 9 per cent of users use their mobiles to access
emails (MMetrics), most people are still accessing emails via their PC, where
messages can include links to full websites. For the next few years, an SMS call-
to-action advertised through another medium is likely to remain the best way of
driving traffic to a mobile internet (or WAP) site.
Chart: Mobile browsing activities
Source: MMetrics
Where and when is mobile technology used?
Research carried out by Orange in 2007 (Orange UK Exposure Survey) showed
that nearly 60 per cent of mobile media use happened at home or work and just
over 20 per cent while travelling. Mobile media users spent an average of three
hours and 36 minutes per week consuming media on their mobile phones, in
addition to time spent making calls and sending text messages.

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Using mobile to support marketing and branding
Mobile can be used to support marketing, branding and service delivery in a
number of ways:
• To encourage people to sign up to campaigns, by enabling them to
respond immediately a campaign attracts their interest
• To display banner advertising tailored to individual usage habits, including
ads generated by proximity to a particular location.
• To send out follow-up advertising to users who have already requested or
signed up to a particular service.
• To combine communication and entertainment by using games or
networking applications to promote brands or encourage behavior change.
• To deliver transactional services, including payments and receipt of
tickets, coupons and vouchers.
Text messaging
Mobile has a key role to play in support of marketing campaigns, both on its own
and integrated with other media. The table below shows that an average of just
under half of citizens in five major EU countries and the US have received stand-
alone marketing text messages. Most of these messages will be direct marketing
messages sent to existing CRM or bought-in databases; a few will be sponsored
messages where the advertiser takes space in an informational message.
Table: Direct marketing via SMS in three months ending July 2007
Received SMS ad Responded
Millions % %
France 28 62 7.6
Germany 15 33 5.7
Italy 26 57 8.0
Spain 24 75 6.1
UK 19 41 9.2
USA 37 17 12.0
Source: MMetrics
The response rates of between 6 and 12 per cent shown in the table are much
higher than for ‘cold’ direct mail or email marketing campaigns using bought lists
of opted-in third party data. This is likely to be primarily because of the ease of
response, the relative novelty of mobile and therefore rarity of receiving SMS
ads. It may also reflect the fact that mobile marketing is in the early stages of
development. If people start to receive as many SMS ads as email ads, the
response rate could begin to drop off.
Under clause 22 of the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations
(PECR), which covers sales and marketing communications, marketers are
permitted to collect data via mobile for later use, provided they tell customers

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clearly that they are opting in and give them the opportunity to opt out. Opting in
means that users are actively choosing to give permission for the marketer to use
their data; opting out means that this permission cannot be assumed and that the
mobile user must give the option to withdraw it and for their data not to be used
by the marketer. The equivalent in a conventional form would be asking the user
to tick an empty box to opt in or to ‘untick’ an already ticked box to opt out. Data
captured in this way cannot be used by third parties.
Giving potential customers the option to respond by text message can be an
effective way of generating an immediate, high volume response to calls-to-
action in traditional media (such as billboards). In the outdoor advertising sector
some media owners are installing Bluetooth and WiFi technology to directly
interact with mobile phones. In 2007, 5 per cent of all traditional media adverts in
the US featured some mobile functionality (Multimedia Intelligence, November
2008).
Key fact: With direct response via SMS, the marketer can pay for the citizen to
send the message, making the service totally free to the customer. For the public
sector in particular, this is an important way of ensuring inclusivity.
Case study: Bookstart
Bookstart was set up by the charity Booktrust with backing from the Arts Council
and aims to foster a love of reading by offering free books to families with young
children. Bookstart has run two campaigns, the first targeting parents in low
income groups and the second aimed at fathers, primarily using TV ads that
asked viewers to text BOOK along with their name, house number and
postcode to 80800 in exchange for a free book. Texts were free, and no other
channels were used. Almost 80,000 people texted in during the first campaign
alone – some 8 per cent of UK households with pre-school age children. The
prevalence of mobile among all sections of society made it the simplest and
most effective way of engaging with this time-poor demographic.
Display advertising and search
Since early 2006, network providers have been adding small clickable banner
ads to mobile internet portals along with a search box (often provided by Google
or Yahoo). Mobile offers scope for targeting these ads by context, demographic
and behaviour.

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Chart: Display (banner) advertising on Vodafone Live! and Google’s WAPsite
Research (Lightspeed, January 2007) suggests that mobile phones are more
effective advertising channels than interactive TV and MP3 players if an incentive
is offered. Twenty-nine per cent of mobile phone users would be willing to
receive ads in return for incentives, compared with 21 per cent for interactive TV
and 6 per cent for MP3 players.
Proximity advertising
Ads can be sent to mobiles within a 100m radius of a particular location using the
Bluetooth technology available on most mobile phones. However, to receive ads,
users must switch Bluetooth on, so it is good practice to include a prompt to this
effect in any accompanying communications. Because it does not involve the
exchange of personal information, Bluetooth is not regulated under the Data
Protection Act (DPA) or the PECR. The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) has
developed guidelines aimed at preventing unscrupulous use (see appendix).
Case study: Royal Marines
The Royal Marines used a combination of SMS, Bluetooth and mobile advertising
for a recruitment drive timed to tie in with the release of the latest James Bond
film, Quantum of Solace. They used the existing network of Bluetooth units in
cinemas throughout the country to deliver exclusive high-impact video messages
direct to the phones of adventure-loving 18-25-year-old men. Messages included
a clickable link to the Marines’ recruitment WAPsite. Posters also carried a text
message call to action linking to the mobile internet site, which offered a range of
downloadable video and image content and captured names and emails which
were then added to the subscriber list for the Marines’ e-newsletter. The Bluecast
video achieved over 1,000 downloads per day throughout the campaign (90,000
in total) and a conversion rate from WAPsite visit to email sign-up of 12 per cent.

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Many newer handsets (iPhone, G1 and Nokia N97) combine both a compass and
GPS (requiring line of sight to satellites), allowing not only better location
awareness but also direction finding. Phones without GPS can use ‘Location
Based Services’, which relies on the fact that the locations of cell site masts are
known and hence the user’s location can be inferred.
Services
Mobile can be particularly effective when used as part of an existing service or
customer relationship management programme. In this context, it can be tightly
targeted at people who already want this type of communication or who are
predisposed to respond favourably to them. Such services can be integrated into
existing IT infrastructure and require little manual intervention once set up.
Instant access is one obvious advantage. Another is the fact that mobiles can be
used to provide services that match users’ geographical location, as shown in the
Cabwise case study below. Given the sensitivity of the information collected,
such communications are regulated by an industry code of conduct (see
Appendix 1).
Case study: Cabwise.com
Cabwise was set up by the Mayor of London and Transport for London in 2005 to
stop Londoners using unlicensed mini-cabs. By texting HOME to 60835, users
can get details of the two nearest licensed mini-cab offices and one black cab
firm sent to them by SMS. They can click on the numbers to be put straight
through. The service has been supported by a major publicity campaign,
including prominent calls-to-action on bus shelters. In 2008 Cabwise won a
bronze trophy at the prestigious IPA Effectiveness Awards for its contribution to
the overall reduction in sexual assaults. Since launch three quarters of a million
people have used the service.
Entertainment
Mobile entertainment applications can be used to promote brands or encourage
users to change their behavior.
Games are the third most popular ‘non-voice’ mobile function (after SMS and
camera) (MMetrics, September 2008). They can deliver brand and campaign
support in the form of free gifts, rewards and/or marketing tools, reinforcing
campaign messages in a variety of ingenious ways as shown in the example
below.
Case study: Recycle for London
RfL’s ‘Evil Bin’, a
rapacious bin bag
hungry for recyclable

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material, has provided the inspiration for a mobile ‘catch’ game. Fun and
educational, the game had considerable success online and was
subsequently adapted for mobile. A Java app was created which allowed
users to move the bin using their keypad (or joystick) and offered a viral
‘send to a friend’ feature. An iPhone version was also created which
allowed users to move the recycling box across the screen using the
phone’s gyroscope or ‘accelerometer’ facility.
Free and premium rate SMS competitions, prize draws and ‘reverse bill’ auctions
are all popular with users, and offer useful ways of capturing numbers and data
for mobile marketing campaigns. Such communications are tightly regulated
under the Gambling Act 2005. The Act defines prize draws that use premium rate
numbers as a lottery (and therefore a gambling game requiring a license to
operate). To be exempt, competitions must involve an element of skill. The use of
very simple questions to elicit a large response has been outlawed. Following
further clarification, a prize draw (with no element of skill) can now be run on a
premium rate number provided there is an easily accessible free entry route
running in parallel.
Warning: Java applications will need to be ‘ported’ (rewritten) for different types
of handset, significantly increasing the cost of making a campaign inclusive.
Social media
Recent studies show that 6 per cent of mobile users access social networking
sites via their mobile phones, with nearly half using the mobile version of
Facebook (GSMA, February 2009). Social networking via mobile offers
significant potential for brands to create compelling, self-seeding, viral content,
as shown in the case study below. Services are able to hold detailed profile
information on their users, supporting targeted interaction with tightly defined
audience groups.
Case study: Strongbow (Scottish & Newcastle)
Social networking site Flirtomatic recently hosted the world’s first ‘real product’
gifting viral on a mobile social network. Scottish & Newcastle Brewery allowed
site users to send each other ‘virtual pints’ of cider which they could then redeem
for a real pint of Strongbow at participating outlets. The message spread virally
across the community and a total of 30,000 pints were gifted. Flirtomatic was a
particularly good fit for this client as users had already been vetted to check that
they were over 18.
Mobile TV
Less than 1 per cent of UK users have ever accessed mobile TV services
(MMetrics, September 2008). However, the BBC has recently launched iPlayer

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for mobile phones equipped with Wi-fi and, with people increasingly using
devices like the iPod Touch to watch content on-demand, it seems logical to
assume that mobile users will follow suit as the capacity of devices increases and
the cost of access falls.
Transactions
Mobile can be used to deliver transactional services, including payments and the
receipt of tickets, coupons and vouchers.
Mobiles can be used to initiate payments which are then completed by credit or
debit card, or by direct debit. Alternatively, payments can be added to the user’s
mobile phone bill, using either premium-rated SMS text messages or WAP
billing, where users click on a WAPsite link (see page 20) to submit a payment
request over the mobile internet via the Pay-For-It scheme. See the example
below.
Marketers should be aware of the legislation on e-money when allowing
consumers to buy content using a pre-paid mobile phone for consumption off-
handset. The creation of electronic money is highly regulated. The E-Money
Directive (EMD) was implemented in the UK through the Financial Services and
Markets Act (FSMA) in 2002.
Case study: Parking meters in Westminster
Drivers in Westminster can now pay for parking with their mobiles. First,
customers need to register online or by phone with their mobile and credit card
details and their car registration number. After this, each time they park in a paid
space they text in a four-digit location number along with the expected duration of
their visit. Payment is then automatically deducted from their credit card.
Removing parking meters has led to a reduction in vandalism and theft; the
Council also reports savings on collection and maintenance. Motorists no longer
have to hunt for loose change and can text in to top-up if they are likely to exceed
their initial time limit. Current figures suggest that the service has over 200,000
registered users and accounts for half of Westminster’s total parking revenues
where there is no alternative payment option.
All the varieties of barcode can be delivered and viewed on mobile handsets with
internet connectivity. This can be done either by ‘push’ or ‘pull’: a barcode can be
sent to a mobile phone as a ticket or coupon (push); or the camera on a handset
can be used to capture the barcode in order to request specific information or a
service (pull). One coding scheme for ‘pull’ barcodes is the quick response (QR)
code, which comes pre-installed on some top-end handsets. For ‘push’ barcodes,
such as flight boarding passes, the organisation’s choice of reader will determine
the type of barcode used.

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Case study: Lufthansa mobile boarding passes
German airline Lufthansa is using mobile boarding passes to reduce check-in time
and speed up customer journeys. Passengers can opt to send themselves an SMS
from the Lufthansa check-in website. The text includes a link to a mobile internet site
where users can access a unique 2D barcode along with written instructions and
further details about their flight. The barcode on the mobile’s screen is then scanned
at the boarding gate, in the same way as a conventional pass or print-out.
It should be noted that scanning a barcode directly from a mobile screen
accurately and consistently can be a challenge, due to variations in screen/pixel
size, screen covering/curvature and ambient lighting. However, scanners for
mobile screens are already in use, for example at venues including at the 02
Centre (the former Millennium Dome), and can cost from as little as a few
hundred pounds.
Risks and challenges
As with any medium, marketers need to be aware of the risks and challenges
involved in using mobile.
Intrusion
Mobile marketing can be powerful, but it can also seem intrusive. Even content
that is welcome can seem irrelevant and annoying if it is received more than
once or at the wrong time. Marketers should be aware of this. One way of
mitigating this risk is to allow customers to specify when they would like to
receive communications, as with the RAF’s Text Trainer alerts.
Scams and spam
Handled badly, mobile communication can generate complaints and sour
relations between customer and brand. Just over one in 10 mobile users have
received text messages from companies without their consent (MMetrics,
September 2008). Good practice requires that:
• the source of the message is clear
• the tone of the message is appropriate (see below for more on language
and style)

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• opt-out routes are clearly signposted, and
• any associated costs are transparent.
Age appropriateness
Many under-18s have mobile phones, which they use unsupervised. Particular
thought must therefore be given to ensuring that content is appropriate for this
age group:
• orders for goods and services must not be accepted from children under
16 without verifiable and explicit consent from a parent/guardian
• marketers must obtain the verifiable and explicit consent of a
parent/guardian before collecting personal data from children under 14 for
use in targeting commercial communications via mobile
• a notice informing children of the requirement for parental consent must
be given at the point where personal information is requested, and
• the notice should be clear and written in a way the child can easily
understand.

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Part 2: A practical guide to using mobile
This section aims to help content producers and developers/programmers
understand what makes mobile different and avoid some common pitfalls.
It looks at how mobile’s physical characteristics impact on marketing activity and
provides guidance on appropriate language and style before going on to look in
more depth at supporting technologies including Bluetooth and internet sites
designed for mobile, or WAPsites.
Screen size
Screens are either small, or very small. As a result, very little information can be
displayed on them. As compensation, users tend to view mobiles from about a
third of the distance from which they would view a PC screen. For both these
reasons, ‘less is more’ is a good basic principle.
Most handsets have portrait screens. This will influence the length of words used
and the structure of messages, as well as the layout of web pages intended to be
viewed on mobile phones.
Examples of different screen sizes

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The viewing area can also be taken up with soft keys or menu buttons, whose
function will change depending on the context. Typically, these buttons will use
part of the display to identify their current function. Because of this, they are
usually located at the edge of the display, mostly commonly at the bottom of a
portrait-oriented screen. They may display the function of a keyboard-style key
located adjacent to a screen or be a simulated button or keyboard key that is
displayed on a touch screen.
Examples of big buttons and ‘soft keys’
Operating systems
The marketplace and the technology involved are both highly fluid. For example
there are more than 30 operating systems running on handsets in the UK alone,
of which nearly 10 are classed as ‘smartphone’ systems such as Apple,
BlackBerry, Google/Android and Symbian. New OS releases appear all the time
and handsets can be upgraded ‘over the air’. Altogether smartphones represent
only 15% of the installed base in the UK (12% in USA + EU combined) mostly
due to the high cost and the fact that many citizens are not presently interested in
full keyboards or the ability to download applications. However by far the most
common language in which applications run is Java, which is available on some
70% of all UK phones (by installed base).
Language and style
The length of the message is the most obvious constraint on the language and
style of mobile communications. Text messages use words alone and most can
be no more than 160 characters long. This is very short compared with marketing
emails that can convey complex messages and instructions and include images
and links to content-rich web pages.

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SMS is an informal medium, and this should be reflected in the tone of
communications. However, informality should never cloud the message or
confuse a call to action. The following guidelines will help create simple,
unambiguous messages:
• Cut out extraneous words and spacing (no double spaces after
punctuation, replace ‘and’ with ‘&’, etc).
• Don’t use abbreviations or text speak (‘GR8’, ‘L8R’) unless they actively
enhance the campaign.
• Using figures rather than spelling out numbers (‘6’, not ‘six’) is accepted
practice and will save valuable space.
• Place instructions as close to the start of the message as possible.
• Give clear unambiguous information on opt-out methods and costs (for
example, charges for clicking on links).
• Text messages should be no more than 160 characters. Longer messages
will be split into two, incurring extra costs.
• Where messages are sent direct from a brand or organisation (such as the
NHS or RAF) the text ‘originator’ should be no more than 11 characters
long. Note reply routes will need to be embedded in the message itself.
• Where telephone numbers are presented within a SMS (or a WAPsite)
and users are invited to ‘click to call’, numbers should appear without
spaces or dashes and must be encoded correctly for the handset type.
Warning: Rogue characters may creep into SMS messages and mobile
internet sites, especially if you cut and paste from a word processing package.
If your campaign is limited to Western markets you should use the GSM 03.38
character set, and for further afield one of the Unicode schemes. Alternatively,
a good agency will know which character sets to use to create unspoiled copy.
Display advertising
Given the limited space offered by even the largest standard banner ads (usually
300 pixels wide by 50 pixels high) words and images must be kept to a minimum
while still clearly conveying the message. Adding a phrase like ‘click here’ in
small text can help maximise click-throughs. Where a banner ad triggers a click-
to-call it must say so explicitly and state clearly how much the call will cost. (It is
not currently permissible to link to a premium rate (voice) number.) This advice
applies to both advertising copy and any destination internet site that will display
on a mobile.
The Mobile Marketing Association has produced a set of European mobile
advertising guidelines, although not all networks currently follow them. See
Appendix 1 for information on how to access the guidelines.
Some general points to note are:

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• Generally, fonts should be 13 point or bigger.
• Some older phones will only show the first frame of an animated GIF, so
important information should appear in this frame.
• Some mobile networks limit the frames in an animated GIF to three.
• Alt-tags should always be present, and must be limited to eight characters.
• Given file size limitations, photographs can be difficult to reproduce.
• Some networks (including Orange) require copy to include the word ‘ad’.
• Other networks (including O2) require the destination site to include a
back-link as well as the mobile phone’s soft-key back button.
• All mobile networks require the destination site to be WML or XHTML
compliant.
Case study: Department for Children, Schools and Families
These are the three frames of the animated GIF used to advertise the
mobile drama Thmbnls, part of the Want Respect? campaign, on mobile
network O2:
Case study: Enjoy England
In this example the client chose to drop images from the smallest banner
(served to older or smaller handsets):
‘Two clicks’
Because people are ‘on the go’ when using mobiles, content should always be
accessible within two ‘clicks’, whatever the route:

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• A direct response or sales promotion call-to-action advertised on radio, TV
or outdoor should be split into two stages:
o Stage one should provide simple instructions.
o At stage two, more detailed information can be received by the
mobile user in a ‘bounceback’ text message.
• Ideally the call-to-action should ask for a single word (a ‘keyword’) to be
texted to a number (typically a shortcode). Further information – such as
an email and/or postal address – can then be requested in the auto-reply.
Where a call-to-action is advertised in print, the process can be completed
in a single step.
• Most content on mobile internet sites should be no more than two
hyperlinks from the home-page.
• In a Bluetooth campaign, no more than two keystrokes should separate
the user from the content itself.
Bluetooth
The first call to action will usually be an invitation to connect. For example, on
certain Nokia handsets the invitation message will appear as: ‘Receive message
via Bluetooth from [sender]’. Depending on the recipient’s handset, ‘sender’
information will be limited to between eight and 100 characters.
The invitation must make sense to whoever receives it, so the first eight
characters should be the brand while the next 20 or so clearly explain the
invitation. The remaining characters can be used to provide additional
information, although this will only be visible to some recipients.
Bluetooth can also deliver text messages containing SMS calls to action,
‘clickable’ mobile internet URLs and ‘click to call’ telephone numbers, as well as
Java applications, images and videos. These are delivered as HTML or .txt files
which can be downloaded to the vast majority of handsets. Files can be up to
999 characters long, but the priority should always be to create a concise,
powerful call to action. When delivering video through Bluetooth, the content
should include a call-to-action either in the end-frame or at appropriate points
throughout the video.
Data capture
By sending a trigger message to a shortcode, the sender is effectively submitting
their phone number, network and (potentially) their location. Active location
(initiated by the user) is subject to a simple code of practice covering the
advertising of the call-to-action (a copy can be obtained by emailing
mobilebg@btopenworld.com). Passive tracking is more heavily governed by the
mobile networks. Under clause 22 of the PECR, details cannot be shared with
third parties and users must be given the opportunity to opt out. Best practice is
to use a ‘double opt-in’.

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Managing mobile marketing and advertising campaigns 20
Although customer service messages are not considered marketing messages,
and so are technically exempt from the need for permission, any marketer
wanting to employ best practice should nevertheless ask for explicit opt-in. There
are a few exceptions, for example where a bank is pursuing a bad debt.
Data appending
Data appending happens when two organisations share data in order to create a
single, more complete record on one individual. The customer must have given
both parties the right to share data with ‘third parties’. See the DMA website at
www.dma.org.uk for more information.
Opting-out
The standard opting-out keyword is ‘stop’. ‘Stop all’ can be used to opt out of all
communications from two organisations sharing the same shortcode. ‘[Campaign
keyword] stop’ can be used to opt out of a specific campaign while staying opted
in to others. Where a message comes from a brand name rather than a number,
it should include clearly indicate where stop requests should be sent.
Building and designing WAPsites
Some mobile phones and devices can handle ordinary websites; most cannot.
Even those mobiles that can cope with internet sites will find it easier to handle
sites that are tailored to the device. Sites that are designed for mobile in this way
are usually called WAPsites.
Web searches made on mobile handsets often return links that can either be
viewed in part or not at all on some phones. Good practice is to encode websites
so that they can detect when a mobile handset is trying to access a URL and
recommend a redirect from a .com to a WAPsite. For example, type
www.bbc.co.uk into a mobile phone and you will be automatically redirected to
the WAPsite, www.bbc.co.uk/mobi. This is important in campaigns such as NHS
Change4 Life where the call to action appeared on billboards and invited users to
search: “Change4Life”, whatever the device.
Content must be as accessible as possible as people tend to ‘snack’ on mobile
data services. Page views and dwell times are about a quarter of what they
would be on a comparable internet website. Most users will also have to scroll
using key strokes in order to use the site. The following guidelines will help
ensure effective WAPsite interactions:
• Key content should be no more than two clicks away.
• Portrait display should be the default, with pages not being much more
than twice the height of the screen itself.
• WAPsite paragraphs should be no more than 500 characters in length.
• Copy must be split into digestible chunks.

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Managing mobile marketing and advertising campaigns 21
• Links to further content should be clearly flagged and signposted.
• Drop downs, radio buttons and check boxes should be used where
possible and appropriate.
• Contact details should be gathered in as few stages as possible.
However, this does not mean that communications should be designed for the
lowest common denominator. Handset recognition software means content and
capabilities can be tailored to specific devices, and many mobile phones support
some Javascript as well as J2ME. Moreover, not all functions need to be
performed on the mobile itself. Many successful mobile services require users to
access the web beforehand, for example to register or configure the service in
advance.
Optimising WAPsites for real devices
WAPsites are not websites. A brief glance at the WAPsites of some brands show
that this lesson has still not been widely learned. Common errors include HTML
rather than XHTML coding, Javascript, fixed size images and lack of page titles.
The most obvious solution is to work with an agency which can use handset
recognition software and sophisticated content management system to:
• identify the screen sizes of particular phones and whether they can
support certain file types
• adjust image sizes to suit both low- and hi-res phones
• create appropriate big buttons and soft keys
• manipulate files in other ways, for example by adding digital rights
management (DRM) options where needed, and
• change download parameters (for example, by suppressing incompatible
content).
A good agency will maintain a detailed database, updating it as and when new
phones are developed, monitor the information they get from manufacturers for
inconsistencies and manually test as many handsets as possible. This will help
avoid many common pitfalls. For more information, go to mobithinking.com/best-
practices/a-three-step-guide-usability-mobile-web.
Mobile internet sites can use several forms of mark-up language, including
XHTML, CHTML, WML and HTML. A phone capabilities database will help
determine the most suitable language. Alternatively, users should be allowed to
choose their preferred version of the site. For the UK, best practice is to offer
sites in WML (for older phones), XHTML (used by the majority) and HTML (for
iPhones or similar large-screen devices).
The mobile phone is ubiquitous and so inclusive as far as text messaging is
concerned, though this is not yet the case with the mobile internet. The mobile
internet also poses some problems in terms of accessibility due to the nature of
the small screen and fiddly keypad. While some phones offer support of user-

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Managing mobile marketing and advertising campaigns 22
controlled scalable fonts most do not and it is very difficult to deliver a good
product for the partially sighted.
Trying to serve HTML and Flash to many phones will create a bad user
experience and make some sites inaccessible. Instead consider a minimum of
two presentation layers, as Directgov does, and serve both WML and XHTML. If
budget allows you might consider up to seven presentation layers, accessing the
same core content, and serve cut-down HTML/Javascript as well as Flashlite and
indeed broadband assets for those citizens accessing the mobile internet through
wifi.
WAPsite data handling
When users access a WAPsite (including by clicking on a link in a text message),
or download a ringtone or other piece of content, their handset details will be
captured. Marketers must handle this data responsibly to minimise intrusion and
stay within the law.
A well-designed WAPsite will capture data in the smallest number of the simplest
possible steps. Entering data on a handset can be fiddly, so time-saving
techniques are important:
• Pre-tick the main opt-in box. The tick must be clearly visible. The ‘third
party’ opt-in box should stay blank until ticked.
• ‘Normal’ format numbers. Ideally, people should not need to add the
country code to their mobile phone number. Mobile numbers are only truly
unique when they include the country code, but it is unlikely that many
foreigners will attempt to provide their numbers.
• Provide examples. If foreign mobile users are likely to respond, provide an
example showing a mobile phone number in international format.
• Auto-fill addresses. Ask for a house number and postcode, then use the
Post Office Address File (PAF) to fill in the rest of the address.
• Default to numbers or letters. Data boxes can be set to receive numbers
or letters as default.
• Keep it simple. Limit the use of technologies such as Javascript.
WAP pushes and embedded links
URLS for internet sites can either be:
• encoded in an automated reply to a text message sent in response to a
shortcode call-to-action (for example send BUNDLE to 33590), or
• embedded in a standard SMS text message.
Sending the link in both formats will maximise responses, as some phones only
recognise one.

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Managing mobile marketing and advertising campaigns 23
Warning: A WAP push message should not be sent on its own as it will not be
possible to identify the sender or give clear notification of content.
WAPsite messages initiated in response must be less than 90 characters long,
including the 40 characters needed for the URL (irrespective of its visual length).
These URLs are often made trackable so that the response and the individual
can be matched up. Some handsets will mask the URL, but there must still be
space for the link:
Title: MARINES
Body: Get inside our heads, http://www.wapmeit.co.uk/r/T568838FAB
When a trackable WAP URL appears in a standard SMS text message, the URL
will take up to 40 characters, leaving just 120 for the rest of the message:
Originator: MARINES
Body: Get inside our heads with emails, vids + downloads from the
Marines. Click http://www.wapmeit.co.uk/r/T568838FAB Std data chgs.
Optout txt MARINE STOP to 62233
WAPsite standards
The World Wide Web Consortium’s (W3C) best practice guidelines (see
Appendix 2) for mobile internet sites are aimed primarily at the creators,
maintainers and operators of WAPsites. The guidelines assume familiarity with
web technology, though not necessarily with mobile technology.
The guidance covers good XHTML and use of cascading style sheets as well as
how mobile phones handle specific types of content such as tables. However, the
rapid evolution of handset hardware means there will inevitably be many
exceptions, and comprehensive testing is essential.
W3C is planning a number of other projects including MobileOK, a set of
machine-readable labels that can be applied to content to show that it has
passed tests based on the guidelines. Other relevant guidelines1 include those
developed by Google.
Security and privacy
The potential for invading people’s privacy and contacting them at inappropriate
times is far greater with mobile than email and extreme care should be taken.
This includes checking the ownership of mobile numbers.
1
groups.google.com/group/google-checkout-api-mobile/topics

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Managing mobile marketing and advertising campaigns 24
Information security
The Information Commissioner has determined that a mobile number counts as
personal data. All eight principles of the Data Protection Act therefore apply to
even the simplest mobile marketing campaign. If data is collected, procedures
must be put in place to limit unauthorised access. Always ask suppliers for a
copy of their information security policy and seek advice from a security
colleague.
By sending a trigger message to a shortcode, the sender is submitting their
phone number, network and (potentially) their location through what is often
described as the ‘soft opt-in’. Under clause 22 of the Privacy and Electronic
Communications Regulations, details collected in this manner cannot be shared
with third parties and users must be given the opportunity to opt-out. A ‘double
opt-in’ is required in order to sell data to third parties and is also sometimes
considered ‘best practice’ for collection of data by the primary party.
Although customer service messages are not considered marketing messages,
and so are technically exempt from the need for permission, any marketer
wanting to employ best practice should nevertheless ask for explicit opt-in. There
are a few exceptions, for example where a bank is pursuing a bad debt or a court
chasing a fine or non-appearance.
Cyberbullying
Mobile carries a significant risk of cyberbullying. Mobile numbers typed into web
forms should always be validated, so that people cannot be signed up without
their knowledge and permission. When signing up by SMS text, the mobile
number used cannot be masked. This can be used for validation.
Numbers can be validated by immediately sending a text message asking the
mobile phone owner for a double opt-in. Legitimate users can continue by
replying ‘yes’. Alternatively, a code can be sent to the mobile and the user asked
to type it into the website to confirm ownership of the mobile phone.
Warning: In forms where the mobile number is pre-filled, this field should not be
editable. Otherwise, there is a risk that it could be altered accidentally or that
someone else’s number could be entered maliciously, leading to unwanted
contact or even cyberbullying.
Testing
There is no standard testing format at present, though it is hoped that this will
come in time. In the meantime it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try. Given the
extraordinary variety of mobile devices on the market, sites need to be tested
and validated against as many handset scenarios as possible. ‘Virtual’ tests offer
an efficient and cost-effective alternative to using actual mobile phones.

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Managing mobile marketing and advertising campaigns 25
A suite of second-hand mobile phones should be purchased for testing purposes
from online auction websites or a third party developer selected with a test
‘laboratory’. A suite of approximately 30 handsets represents a good test, as
long as these include at least one of every make, all the main operating systems
(native and smart), a range of screen sizes and different user input methods e.g.
touch-screen vs partial and full keyboard. It is easy to forget that the different
operating systems and input methods can invalidate some types of hyperlink and
other controls such as checkboxes and drop-downs.
Desktop browsers
Downloadable add-ons enable Firefox and other browsers to show how layouts
would appear on a typical mobile handset through ‘small screen rendering’.
However, they cannot emulate the device interface. Instead, testers use their PC
mouse and keyboard.
Firefox offers a further add-on, the user agent switcher, which can switch quickly
and efficiently between different screen sizes. While this is useful, the switcher
cannot completely replicate the mobile experience. It is also incompatible with
some of the mobile content that can be downloaded from a WAPsite.
Web-based emulators
Emulators recreate specific handset experiences (including positions and actions
of soft keys) via web browsers. They are often supplied by manufacturers to
facilitate development work. Although they offer a good simulation, switching
between different emulators to test on ‘different’ handsets can be awkward and
time consuming. Some require users to subscribe. Two web-based emulators are
available at http://ready.mobi and http://mtld.mobi/emulator.php
Desktop emulators
Desktop software can also emulate specific browsers and devices. However,
downloading, updating and switching software to allow for ongoing 'testing’ of
various handsets can be complicated and time-consuming.
Among the most popular are the Nokia Mobile Browser simulator and the
SmartPhone Emulator Developer edition. Emulators are also available for the
Apple iPhone (for example, the iPhoney (Mac only) available from
www.macupdate.com/).
Orange offers advertisers the chance to test their content at its development
centres.2
2
www.orangepartner.com/site/enuk/support/developercentres/p_developer_centres.jsp

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Other resources
mobiforge.com (also available as a mobile site) is the world’s largest independent
mobile development community. Sections cover design and the development of
applications as well as WAPsites, and the site features links to other resources
for developers, including testing.
Alternatively, documents can be passed through W3C’s Validator, just as would
normally be done with an internet website. This will resolve common errors in
mobile web coding and is strongly recommended. The Validator can be found at
validator.w3.org.
Analytics
Few if any web analytics packages are genuinely compatible with mobile, partly
because of the problem of identifying unique users. For information and
guidance, contact COI or a mobile marketing and advertising agency.
Measuring results
As with any marketing exercise, it is important to start out with a clear idea of
how you plan to measure success so you can capture the necessary data as you
go along. The following tips will help you measure the effectiveness of mobile
communications:
• For direct response campaigns via SMS, using different keywords for
different media and different creative executions will make it easy to
evaluate what worked best by simply counting the number of text
messages that start with a particular keyword.
• When utilising the click-to-call feature from within a text message or on a
WAPsite page, include a phone number that is not being used for any
other medium so calls can be properly ascribed to the mobile element of
the campaign.
• If call-centre software can capture the unique identifier of the device
making the call, this can be matched back to the mobile number used to
send the initial text message. Otherwise call-handlers should be briefed to
ask for mobile numbers.
• Use a mobile rather than a web analytics package to measure unique
users. IP addresses are not unique to a particular handset.
• Since many older handsets do not pass on a referral address when
browsing, ensure that landing pages have unique URLs and links in text
messages are unique to each recipient so they are trackable.

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Appendix 3: Glossary
Term Definition
Bluetooth Short-range (1-100m) radio technology
allowing transfer of content between two
mobile phones or a mobile and a fixed point
such as a PC. Often used to create a wireless
connection between a mobile phone and
earpiece.
Java (or J2ME) Platform for developing software for mobile
devices. Brew is a US alternative. Some
phones, such as the Apple iPhone, use their
own proprietary technology based on Linux.
MMS Extension of the SMS standard developed by
OMA. Includes multimedia objects (images,
audio, video, rich text) and requires a WAP
connection.
Short Message Service (SMS) Communications protocol first defined in 1985
by GSM allowing the interchange of short
textual messages between mobile telephone
devices. SMS text messaging is the most
widely used data application on the planet.
Text message See SMS
WAP Wireless Application Protocol. Open standard
which allows the internet to be accessed from a
mobile phone. Mobile internet sites are
sometimes called WAPsites.
WAP push Type of text message providing a link or
bookmark to a specific page or piece of content
on the mobile internet. A WAP push contains a
URL, alongside other instructions to the mobile
phone, and will be encoded as a binary
message rather like a vCard (a mobile contact
record).
WAPsite Mobile internet site written in WML, XHTML,
CHTML etc and so compatible with mobile
phones.
XHTML (WAP 2.0) The most common mark-up language
associated with WAP. Replaces WML.

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About the authors
David Pullinger, COI Head of Digital Policy
David’s job is to help others improve public sector online by making best use of
the relevant policies and standards. Before joining COI, he spent several years
as Head of New Media at the then Department for Education and Skills and
before that as Deputy Director of Communications at the Office of National
Statistics. David’s PhD in human-computer interaction ensures that his approach
to policy is grounded in a real understanding of how people actually engage with
digital media.
Franco Beschizza, COI Interactive Digital Marketing
Franco is Team Head of COI Interactive Digital Marketing, and is responsible for
both mobile and web 2.0 services. He spends much of his time shaping industry
best practice and looking at ways of measuring ROI, as well as optimising the
digital media used in various COI campaigns including ‘Talk to Frank’,
‘RUThinking’ and ‘Playingsafely’. Franco has 15 years’ experience in internet
marketing and communications and is regularly called on to speak at industry
events and sit on bodies including the Direct Marketing Association.
Jonathan Bass, Managing Director, Incentivated Limited
Jonathan is founder and managing director of mobile marketing and advertising
agency Incentivated as well as deputy chair of the Direct Marketing Association’s
Mobile Council and a member and trainer of the Institute of Direct Marketing.
Formerly UK Chair of the Mobile Marketing Association, Jonathan has been
working in mobile marketing for seven years, and has been involved with a
number of the projects mentioned in the case studies throughout this document.